Method for the transformation of crude peat into a coallike substance



. by additions to qualify it as admixed water Patented 'Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES A 1,580,058 PATENT OFFICE;

OSKAR LINKER, or: LnIPzIG-Gonms, GERMANY.

METHOD FOR THE TRANSFORMATTIOIIOF. CRUDE PEAT m'rofn IcoALLIKE SUBSTANCE.

No Drawing.

Z all whom it mag concern: 4

Be it known that I, OSKAR Lmknn, a citizen of the German Republic, residing at Leipzig-Gohlis, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for the Transformation of Crude Peat into a Coallike Substance (for- W-hich I have filed applicationfor patents in Germany on March 80, 1922, May'16, 1925),' of which the following isa specification.

This invention concerns a methodgfor the transformation of crude peat into a coallike substance. Peat wasup to thepresent, treated in such a manner that the water contained in the peat was withdrawn either in letting it dry in the open air or by pressing thewater out of the peat, a voluminous fuel being thus obtained but without greatheat- I ing value. "The transport of such fuel did generally not pay so that it'wa's only used at or near the place where it was found.

I have now found, that, if the peat is treated in just the contrary manner, that is to say in admixing water to the peat obtained, the fuel resulting therefrom has a coal-like character. This added water is preferably of other constitution than the natural water contained in the peat. Such admixed water can be taken from other sources, rivers, wells orthe-like, or the constituents of the peat water might be altered forthe crude peat. V

The addition of admixed water is pref- I erably effected in a mill in which the crude peat is finely disintegrated to form apulp. This having been done, part of the "water has to be withdrawn from the pulp of peat,

but at least waterfcontents have toremain in the pulp, and no further water may be withdrawn. Now the pulp of peat has,

to be left to itself, whereby a-quite particular proceeding will take place, namely that the peat. transforms itself into a coal-like,

fuel during the shrinking.

The mass of peat is subdivided into small individual quantities and the withdrawal of the water could be effected during this subdivision. efl'ected that the finished coal-likeproduct has the shape of briquettes. f

The water might also be withdrawn by means of convenient filters or by simple eva oration. But it can also be effected un er pressure, and salts or acids, for example ferroussulphate, common salt, sal- The subdivision is preferablyso Application filed July 23 1925. I SerialNo. 45,708.

oxygen at all. Simultaneous heating is advantageous.

Into this atmosphere, containing little or no oxygen at all, steam is conducted,

' whereby the method is'accelerated and the end product obtained is ameliorated. I

To make this invention clearly ,understood, a working process is hereafter ex-.{

plained: r y

The crude peat obtained; in a manner adapted to the conditions of tjhe place, either throughcutting by hand inithe'w'ell known elevators, throughdraggers, floating draggers, squirting, or in'any other manner, is coarsely disintegrated, for example in awell known peat 'machine'or disintegrator."

When digging the crude peat, preferably the whole contiguous peat mass or layer is may be done, the more so as no troubles exist any more, with the present process,

'as regards previous draining and other CllfilOHltIGS which existed when, using the known processes, and because, asmay be mentioned besides, also the upper layers, even ifthey should not be bindable (shrinkable), as well as the deepest layers, even if they should not bebindable ow'ingto their chemical age, can nowbe used without damage to the. end product.

For example in elevated moors the upper turf or peat layers can be worked in great out atonce, evidently only as far as'this quantities in the present process, in case they should not be used with more advan tages in the peat litter manufacture. By the admixed of these little or not at all bindable layers with the bindable layers, the whole crude peat mass will, owing to the following disintegration and intimate mixing, be absolutely bindable (capable to shrink).

The crude peat, if needed coarsely disintegrated, will now be finely disintegrated in a device, preferably a disintegrating mill with a slit of 1-5 mm. breadth, a dismembrator or the like. To the finely disin tegrated peat, preferably during this fine disintegration (eventually before or after the same, according to the circumstances), a corresponding quantity of water will be added according to the sort of peat used. This addition of water, amounting to 25, respectively or 100 and more volume parts, according to the condition of the crude peat. The amount of water having to be added to the peat must previously be calculated according to the sort of peat used. If the water will be added after the fine disintegration this is preferably done in a mixing vessel. with stirring mechanism. The additional water must in any case be of other constitution than the natural peat Water contained in the crude peat. According to the invention with some kinds of peat, notliwithstanding the water addition to the pulp of peat, also an astringent, for example furrosulphate or the like or a salpetre salt for accelerating the withdrawal of water respectively, the filtrating action may be added.

By this fine disintegration, not only the destruction of the wood particles which could still be present in the crude peat and the reduction of the fibrous material of the peat, which in this manner owing to its felty effect increases later on the colloidal selfdensifying of the moulded bodies in preventing the formation of fissures, especially by opening the hollow spaces and the capillaries, the water contained therein becomes separable. On the other hand, owing to the abundant addition of water, besides a further separation and decomposition of the individual peat particles, the bound water together with the colloidal water will also become separable respectively capable to be filtered. Furthermore by the addition of the water the water-dissolving salts and the like, contained in the crude peat, will be dissolved and disengaged at the further working stage, to which circumstances the sinking of the ash-contents, especially by peats coming from lowland moors and those with high ash-contents, has to be attributed. The pulp of peat watered in such a manner can be conducted to the peat-work respec tively to the place where the water separators are arranged, by means of gutters,

pipes, or the like. The simplest way would be to suck the watered pulp of peat, by means of ahigh pressure pump of efficient construction, to press the same, after this pulp has traversed the pressure pipe conduit, under pressure into the water separators respectively filtering cells connected therewith. These water separators are so constructed that they comprise any number of filtering cells which cells have simultaneously the shape to be given to the mass of peat injected.

The water separators consist of any num ber of strong-walled filtering cells capable to withstand the resulting inner pressure, which are preferably arranged in three groups connected communicatively together so that the first group is filled under pressure, whilst in the second group the filtering process progresses and in the third group the moulded bodies are taken away respectively and ejected.

The individual filtering cells can be so constructed that altogether they form one single machine.

If the moulded bodies have become resistant enough for transport they are piled up in great heaps, preferably under roof, and left to themselves for shrinking, or they are brought by means of convenient auxiliary tranporting means, into a preferably heated room'saturated with steam and remain in this room until they have completely shrunk and hardened. This room should preferably not contain any oxygen or only an infinitesimal small quantity of oxygen.

I claim That process of treating peat which consists in finely disintegrating a peat mass in the presence of added water having a salt content such as ferrous-sulphate to assist filtration, conveying the mixture to a series of filtering cells for preliminary filtration, conveying the filtered mass progressively through other filtering cells to a final series of such cells, permitting the mass to remain in the final series of cells until it becomes suificiently hard for handling, removing the filtered material from the last mentioned cells into a space saturated with steam, and subjecting the removed material to the action of such steam in a chamber substantially free from uncombined oxygen.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OSKAR LINKER. 

